BASIC AND APPLIED ATOMIC SPECTROSCOPY IN HIGH-FIELD ION DIODE ACCELERATION GAPS

Achieving inertial confinement fusion using a light-ion-beam driver re quires continued improvement in understanding ion diode physics. The p ower delivered to a light-ion beam target is strongly influenced by th e evolution of the charge-particle distributions across the ion beam a cceleration gap. Our strategy is to determine this evolution from time - and space-resolved measurements of the electric field using Stark-sh ifted line emission. In addition to diode physics, the unique high-fie ld (similar to 10 MV/cm, similar to 6T) conditions in present experime nts offer the possibility to advance basic atomic physics, for example by measuring field ionization rates for tightly bound low-principal-q uantum-number levels. In fact, extension of atomic physics into the hi gh-field regime is required for accurate interpretation of diode physi cs measurements. This paper describes progress in ion diode physics an d basic atomic physics, obtained with visible-light atomic spectroscop y measurements in the similar to 20 TW Particle Beam Fusion Accelerato r II ion diode.